USMNT Cans Bob Bradley, Hires Klinsmann

In a surprise move last night, the U.S. men's national soccer team, fresh off its disappointing second-place finish in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, fired coach Bob Bradley. Bradley had been the coach since 2006, when Jürgen Klinsmann (who coached Germany in the 2006 World Cup but lives in California) turned down the job, handing Bradley the position full-time. Bradley had some success in the 2010 World Cup, but it was obvious during the Gold Cup that the Mexican team was younger, faster, and better; those critical that the U.S. program had stagnated had their primary evidence. U.S. soccer president Sunil Gulati clearly wants Klinsmann to take the job, and he's available; he might even be announced as early as today, unless he turns them down for a third time. (Update: Michael Lewis -- no, not that Michael Lewis -- reports he's taking the job.) He will have some time to pull a staff and team together: The U.S. team won't start World Cup qualifying until around March of next year. Meanwhile, you can probably count on a new midfielder, considering the previous guy is Bob's son.